Horiren First

After graduating from the Nippon Institute of Design, Horiren first started working for a computer-game design company. After that she moved further afield and became successful working as a muralist; however she was unable to give up on her desire to become a tattoo artist. It was then at the age of 30 that she began her path of self-study. Now, years later, she has devoted herself to the profession and is officially known as HORIREN the 1st.

My pseudo-name Horiren is a reflection of my belief in tattoos.

Irezumi, or tattoos, are defined as marks featuring an indelible design by inserting pigment into punctures in the skin[*]. By inserting pigment into the punctures, tattoo artists invariably put an indelible mark on human beings. Though indelible, it nonetheless has a life. As the skin ages, the initial vibrant colour loses its original freshness.

My work is destined to fade away, as the person ages, as in flowers wilt.

Nothing is left after the human body perishes. This is the reality.

There is no eternity. Yet this transience itself is a representation of what makes our life beautiful.

There is a saying in Japanese “Ichiren-takusho” .

It means to be together throughout life until death, whether it may be in hardship or happiness.

Originally the saying came from the Buddhist belief that sees the human race on a bed of lotus flowers after death. Thus, Ichiren-takusho alternatively means to share the same bed of lotus flowers in paradise after death.

My name Horiren takes the word “ren” , or lotus flower, from Ichiren-takusho.

When I decided upon my name, I swore to live up to the devotion of marking each one’s life on their skin, and to share the same lotus flower with those who live and die bearing my work.

I train myself everyday so that my work may inspire those who will be responsible for heightening our technique over the next generation.

My lotus flower will fully bloom after my work becomes a seed for them.

[*]-The Concise Oxford English Dictionary

Operation

No first time clients. You need to be introduced from one of my clients.

I do all sorts of tattoo designs as western, Japanese, portrait and so on.

There are 3 different styles of tattooing as followed.

1.Machine: using machine needles.

2.Japanese traditional style (Tebori, hand tattoo) by the style called Tekobori. Lines are done by machine and the coloring is done by Tekobori.

3.All Tebori Style. This is done by another Japanese traditional style called Shamisen-bori

I do cover ups for old ones that you don’t like it anymore.

I design for person to person. They will be the one and only.

You can bring a design you want to get tattooed, but I do not take a request that tattooing like copying some other tattoo artists do.